Mechanical window cleaner



Oct. 11, 1955 c. w. DORSEY MECHANICAL WINDOW CLEANER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 6, 1952 Clyde W Dorsey INVENTOR.

BY WW 22m A HH Oct. 11, 1955 w. DORSEY MECHANICAL WINDOW CLEANER 2 Fheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 6, 1952 030 6 @066 @QQOQO 00 @Q 000 00 000 0%0000 fiamwwaoaaoamao amm om mm o o oo o o 0 0 o o o po o 0 on Fig.3

Clyde W. Dorsey INVENTOR. m

United States Patent MECHANICAL WINDOW CLEANER Clyde W. Dorsey, Ventura, Califi, assignor of fifty per cent to James J. McBride, Ventura, Calif.

Application March 6, 1952, Serial No. 275,129

1 Claim. (Cl. 15--24) The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in devices for cleaning automobile windshields and various types of windows by mechanical means.

An important object of the invention is to provide a spray head to which air under pressure and a cleaning solution are supplied for spraying onto the window and also pneumatically operating a cleaning roller in the spray head working in contact with the window surface to clean the latter.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pistol grip handle for the spray head and having control valves mounted therein for an air line and a cleaning solution line leading to the spray head.

A further object of the invention is to provide a turbine drive means for the cleaning roller operated by air pressure leading to the spray head and utilizing the exhaust from the turbine to aid in drying the window.

A still further object is to provide a device of this character which is simple and practical in construction, which is efiicient and reliable in operation, relatively inexpensive to manufacture and otherwise well adapted to the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like nuerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view;

Figure 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the handle and spray head taken on a line 2-2 of Figure 3;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional View taken on a line 33 of Figure 2;

Figures 4 and 5 are transverse sectional views of the spray head taken respectively on the line 4-4 and 5-5 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view of the handle showing the valves in open spraying position;

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse sectional view of one of the cleaning rollers taken on a line 77 of Figure 3; and

Figure 8 is a rear elevational view of the spray head and with parts shown in sections.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, wherein for the purpose of illustration I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of the invention the numeral 5 designates a substantially rectangular shaped spray head which is open at one side and formed with relatively short legs 6 at the corners of its open side. The spray head may be constructed of a suitable commercial type of plastic or other suitable light weight material.

A spray tube 7 is suitably secured in a longitudinal position at the underside of the spray head 5 and is perforated at its lower portion, as shown at 8 and also provided with bristles 9 at its perforated lower side.

A hollow stem 10 leads from the rear central portion of spray head 5 and in which a pair of passages 11 and 12 are formed and with passage 11 connected to spray tube 2,719,994 Patented Get. 11, 1955 7 by means of an opening 12 at the central portion of the spray tube. The rear of the spray head 5 is formed with a longitudinal passage 14 leading from passage 12 in the stem 10 toward one end of the spray head and is connected to the inlet 15 of a turbine housing 16 positioned at one end of the spray head 5. The outlet 17 of the turbine housing is connected to the adjacent end of the spray tube 7.

A turbine wheel 18 of a conventional type is rotatably mounted in housing 16 and is secured to the hub 19 at one end of a hollow roller 20 which is suitably journaled longitudinally in the spray head 5. A second roller 21 is also rotatably mounted in the spray head 5 parallel to roller 20 and is driven by the latter by means of rubber or other suitable friction bands 22 and 23 secured to the ends of the roller 20 and 21 opposite from the turbine 18.

Rubber covers or sleeves 24 enclose the rollers 20 and 21 and are formed with rows of perforated teats or nipples 25 which project radially from the roller and with the teats or nipples of one roller intermeshing with the teats or nipples of the other roller as shown in Figure 2 of the drawing. The teats or nipples 25 also are of a suitable length to project outwardly at the open side of the spray head 5 beyond the legs 6 thereof. The nipples 25 of each roller also strike the bristles 9 of the spray tube 7 as the rollers are rotated.

The rear end of stem 10 is flat at each side, as shown at 26 to fit closely with the sides of a longitudinal slot 27 in the front end portion of a bulbous or ovate head 28 in which the stem 10 is pivotally connected by means of a transverse pin 29. Upper and lower stops 30 and 31 on the stem 10 engage the head 28 to limit the vertical swinging movement of the spray head 5.

The rear ends of passages 11 and 12 are flared to form throat portions 32 for connecting the passages 11 and 12 to a cleaning solution supply passage 33 and to an air passage 34 respectively in an elongated handle 35 which is formed with a pistol grip 36 at its rear end.

A cleaning fluid control valve 37 is slidably mounted in pistol grip 36 and an air control valve 38 is also slidably mounted in pistol grip 36. Fluid control valve 37 bisects both the passages 33 and 34 and is formed with a tapered transverse port 39 for connecting the passage 33 with both a cleaning fluid supply line 40 and with an air pressure supply line 41 leading into the butt end of the pistol grip 36 and the valve 37 is also provided with a second transverse port 42 for connecting passage 34 with the air supply line 41. A coil spring 43 is positioned behind valve 37 and a push button 44 is connected to the other end of valve 37 and projects outwardly at the rear of pistol grip 36.

Valve 38 is provided with a single transverse port 45 movable into and out of registry with the air supply line 41 to open and close the latter and a coil spring 46 is positioned behind valve 38 while a stem 47 projects from the other end of valve 38 at the front side of pistol grip 36. and is engaged by a pivoted trigger or lever 48 at the front side of the pistol grip.

In the operation of the device, line 40 is connected to a tank (not shown) containing a cleaning solution and which may be supported in an elevated position to feed the solution to the spray head by gravity, if desired. Line 41 is connected to a compressed air tank (not shown) or to an air pump (not shown), such as used in a garage or service station.

Spray head 5 is held in cleaning position by pistol grip 36 and trigger or lever 48 pulled by the index finger of a person to open valve 38 to feed air to the turbine and rotate cleaning rollers 20 and 21. Plunger 44 is then depressed by the thumb to open valve 37 to supply cleaning solution to spray tube 7, the flared passage 39 in said valve also admitting air from line 41 thereto for spraying the solution onto and across the rollers, and onto the window which may then be cleaned by moving the spray head 5 and rollers across the window.

The window may be dried by releasing plunger 44 to close valve 37, while valve 38 remains open to continue the operation of turbine 18 and rollers 20 and 21, the outlet passage 17 for the turbine feeding air to the spray tube 7.

' In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings it is believed that a clear understanding of the device will be quite apparent to those skilled in this art. A more detailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention the same is susceptible to certain changes fully comprehended by the spirit of the invention as herein described and the scope of the appended claim.

Having described my invention, what is claimed as new is:

In a window cleaning and drying device, a spray head, a rotary cleaning roller mounted in and projecting out of said head to engage the window, a spray discharge pipe in said head parallel with said roller, pneumatic drive means in said head for said roller at one end of the roller operatively connected thereto and exhausting air under pressure into said spraypipe for spraying against the window and said roller while the latter is being driven, a compressed air line leading through said head to said drive means to supply air under pressure thereto for operating the same and exhausting into said spray pipe, a liquid supply line leading through said head to said spray pipe, and a control valve for said lines normally opening said air line and closing. the liquid supply line and operative to simultaneously open said liquid supply line while closing said air line and cutting the same into the liquid supply line for pressure spraying by said spray member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 481,140 Davis Aug. 16, 1892 1,522,212 1 Tolookjian Jan. 6, 1925 1,679,323 Mortlock July 31, 1928 1,687,283 Deutscher Oct. 9, 1928 2,292,435 Crites Aug. 11, 1942 2,659,915 Sears Nov. 24, 1953 

